Race Culture (1910)

AUTHOR: Dodds, Susanna Way

SUMMARY (Ridvan Askin, edited Deborah Madsen)

In this book, Dodds advocates for veganism and dress reform for health reasons. In the “Preface,” she remarks that “[t]he one thing we need above all other, is physical regeneration” (iii). This is the topic to which Race Culture is dedicated: “not only to teach women the secret of health and happiness, but to point out how an enlightened motherhood will improve the race” (iv). Dodds' focus is almost exclusively on women's “physical vigor” rather than their “intellectual and moral worth” (iv). The book touches on questions of pregnancy, childbirth, abortion, and early childhood. With respect to the latter, the discussion concerns children's diseases, illnesses, and ailments, from a sore throat to diarrhea, from mumps to scarlet fever, from diphtheria to measles, and methods of prevention or treatment in accordance with the tenets of hygeio-therapy. In this context, several sections touch on the question of nutrition and diet, advocating for a vegan diet.

For infants, depending on their age and constitution, Dodds advises mother's milk, gruel, and mild fruit juices or “good stewed fruit properly cooked and strained” (190). During and after weaning, Dodds insists on Graham bread whenever possible. “But,” she continues, “such articles as meat, butter, coarse vegetables, pastries, preserves and sweetmeats, will tend to derange the stomach, and make the child sick. Still worse are fried potatoes (or anything fried), rich puddings and desserts, very sweet foods, or highly seasoned dishes. [...] also pickles, spices, and condiments; they are the forerunners of dyspepsia. Tea, coffee, cocoa, and the like, are among the forbidden things” (198-199). She singles out for criticism the use of too much sugar, stimulants (including meat), and condiments:

[m]eat, meat dishes, rich gravies, sauces, catsups, pickles, anything that tickles the palate, will pave the way for stronger stimulants, and even for tobacco. It has been truly said that topers [excessive consumers of alcohol] as a class are tobacco users, and both are meat eaters. As a rule, they like their meats and other dishes well seasoned; plenty of pepper, salt, hot sauces, etc. Many a boy who has fallen a victim to drink, first had his appetite perverted at his mothers's [sic] table (208).

In an appendix, Dodds provides particular dietetic measures for certain illnesses and diseases (e.g., fevers, chronic diseases, etc.; 445-465). All her dietary suggestions are essentially vegan and emphasize plainness, simplicity, purity, and quality. Dodds also promotes dress reform for health reasons.